Struggling: Hi ladies I feel I'm struggling post... - My Ovacome

My Ovacome

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Struggling

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Hi ladies

I feel I'm struggling post op now and feel quite tough. Still in a lot of pain.

Ended up in A and E last night in a drip. IV painkillers enenma and X-ray.

Still not able to eat. Feel sick all the time.

Have small wound infection so have antibiotics.

If I try to walk around I feel sick and dizzy.

Is this normal ? I have called the ovacome nurse and she will call tomorrow. I have no after care support from hospital except the cancer nurse I met in another hospital once before my op. She is on leave.

I am so sorry just to keep moaning as most of you seem so brave. But really struggling.

Sarah X

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20 Replies
Lyndy profile image
Lyndy

How rotten for you Sarah. Definitely time to kick up a fuss I think. Can you ring your surgeons secretary and ask to be reviewed? Or ask your GP for help to find the right person who can advise you?..it is just not good enough to leave you struggling alone with this. You are not moaning you are asking to be treated with care and dignity!

Much love Lyndall xx

doodoolatrice profile image
doodoolatrice

Oh Sarah, bless you, you're not moaning at all. You're feeling horrible and we all understand as we have all been there. The fact that you have an infection won't be helping. I'm normally a stiff upper lip person but I cried like a baby when I was in hospital because I felt so ill. I felt as weak as a kitten and I literally couldn't get out of bed for days because every time I tried I felt like I was going to pass out. I was finally discharged on day nine as my pain had eased as the trapped wind had shifted but it took a couple of days for my appetite to return. Once it did and I started eating I felt stronger. Recovery after such a major op takes time and you must take it easy and give your body time to recover. Hopefully the Ovacome Nurse can give you some advice tomorrow but in the meantime keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will get there, take care Kerry xx

in reply to doodoolatrice

Thank you so much ladies.

It's tricky as I had the op in one hospital and I haven't really met the staff in my local one.

I called the gynaecology ward in local hos just now. She suggested not worrying about eating yet just keep taking sips of water.

Every time I eat anything I feel sick. I had a couple dry crackers at lunch but have just been sick again now. I just feel that instead of becoming stronger each day I feel weaker. Feeling very weepy as can't see any progress. I have lost so much weight that worrying if I don't eat soon it will get worse

The X-ray this morning showed that abdomen still full of gas 😩

Helps to know that some of you struggled too.

Xxx

doodoolatrice profile image
doodoolatrice in reply to

Your intestines go into a sulk after an op as they don't like being moved about so this and the fact that you're full of gas could explain a lot. I lost a stone when I had surgery and went from a size 12/14 to a 8/10 and for the first time in my life I was told I needed to put some weight on. You shouldn't have to feel like this though so ring your GP in the morning and see what they suggest Xx

Damelza profile image
Damelza in reply to

Buscopan is really good for gas pain. Ask your doctor about it

in reply to Damelza

Partner just been out and got buscopan. Bless him, he's got to know the pharmacist really well!!

Katmal-UK profile image
Katmal-UK

Hi Sarah, your not moaning at all, you feel rough, in pain and there is nothing worse. We have been where you are now and are certainly no braver than you. the fact that you are feeling sick all the time certainly wont help, having been there I can certainly understand how low you feel, especially as you arent able to eat and get the nourishment you need to regain your strength. I hope you get the support you deserve soon. To be honest Id at the very least call yr GP or out of hours dr, you shouldnt have to suffer. please let us know how you get on. Sending you a big hug. Kathy xx

Chamber profile image
Chamber

Hi Sarah

You shouldn't have to suffer this sickness etc. Out of hours dr maybe?

You're not moaning. Please get some help

Judyx

Hi as the other ladies have said you are not moaning, contact the out of hours doctor to come and see you, they must be able to offer you some support. I really feel for you as you are going through such a tough time.

Take care and let us know how you are doing xx

chaplin profile image
chaplin

Hi Sarah

Sorry to hear you have been left alone my the medical profession to cope with this alone! I would encourage you to call out of hours like the other ladies have suggested. Don't be palmed off and try to get someone to call for you if you don't feel up to it and insist you get some pain relief. Have you been given any fortisip to help you build up some strength?

Hope you get some relief soon from this hurdle, you will get through it and you have everyone's support on here, albeit 'virtual' support. Take care,

Caroles1 profile image
Caroles1

Hi Sarah,

You should not be suffering like this, I couldn't eat either and kept bringing up acid, a daily Omaprozle put me right and have never looked back.

You are not moaning, I would agree you need out of hours help and you should get help and support, is there anyone with you that can get the help you need?

In the meantime, make sure you take in water and maybe eat a little amount,ginger biscuits,peppermint tea,anything you fancy,

Let us know how you get on

Best wishes

Carole xxx

Choski profile image
Choski

After my surgery I was in a great deal of pain and didnt know how I'd get through. This lasted for over a week auntil I sudddenly i found i didnt need as many painkillers. I rang my surgery also and my doc offered to come out to the house if i wanted a home visit. Dont be worried about asking for help . Please dont suffer, take a deep breathe and make that call.

Clare x

Lily-Anne profile image
Lily-Anne

I think it's related to the trauma to the body. I had my operation in November and only over the last few weeks have the dizzy spells settled down, although sicky feelings still come and go. My GP told me off yesterday for not taking major surgery seriously enough, I'm still not really sure what she meant lol. Maybe we all expect the old normal to be the new one.

Be kind to yourself, once the infection settles you will feel better, time heals the physicals, obviously more time than I thought, but it does heal all the same. Lots of sleep and nice treats.

LA xx

Flamingobeef18 profile image
Flamingobeef18

You poor thing. As everyone has said you should not have to put up with the awful time you are having. I do empathize the worst I have ever felt is when I came home from surgery. I too had gone to another location for my op and no follow up or referral on was organized for me. I felt so ill, alone and was sobbing with the pain. My husband called my GP who gave me advice on the phone and was out at my bedside within the hour.

Please do not suffer this any more. Do not be brave. Be a big wimp like me and get the help you need.

Sending lots of love Julia xxx

Damelza profile image
Damelza

Hello Sarah,

Sorry to hear that you are suffering. It's a bitch. I felt the same way as you, not being able to eat. If you are on painkillers they can do that and also give you constipation. Anyway they can give you anti sickness tabs (stemitil) and I found them quite good. I dont think you are moaning at all, you are doing great, after all you have been through.. Take care... (sarah)

Gleedy profile image
Gleedy

I cant give any post op advice but I'm sure the infection and feeling of isolation is not helping. Then add exhaustion and poor nutrtion and it becomes a vicious circle. I hope your GP surgery can help. Good luck. Tracey x

BJ_UK profile image
BJ_UK

Hi, Sarah.

Did you have a pre-op epidural for post-op pain relief? I'm sorry to ask, but I can't tell from the information you have posted.

The reason that I ask is that I did and they breached my dura putting it in. I had lots of symptoms afterwards, including feeling sick and dizzy whenever I was not horizontal, a symptom which started 3 days after my operation. I also had problems hearing - everything sounded muffled - and for the first 24 hours post-op I vomited pretty much every time I sat up, which I had never done previously after general anaesthetics. Eleven days post op I started seeing double - I had developed a sixth cranial nerve palsy.

If this sounds at all like you, be sure to ask for medical help quickly and tell them that you had an epidural, especially if you know you had a breached dura. (Tell them about the breach too!) The person that you need to see in that case is actually an anaesthetist, and the sooner the better, as they can help if they know you are having problems early enough.

They couldn't help me because the one symptom of a breached dura I didn't have was the awful headache that the anaesthetist warned me of. Unfortunately that was the only symptom the surgical and nursing staff thought of as being caused by a breached dura, and they wrongly told me the other symptoms were nothing to do with the operation. Because of the delay, I had visual problems for two and a half years following the operation. I don't want that to happen to you (or anyone else, for that matter)!

Whatever the cause of your symptoms, you clearly need support that you are not getting, so stick to your guns, ask for help and don't take no for an answer! Don't rule out your GP as a source of help - it was actually a GP from the weekend locum service who got me to the right services and got me readmitted when I got into such trouble.

I hope that you get the help you need and are feeling much better soonest!

Barbara

Thank you for all your replies. Not sure what I'd do with out all the information and support you ladies provide.

I will call the GP today and ask for a visit but sadly I don't have much faith in my GPs.

Maybe I didn't realise how big an operation it was. And I'm not sure the GP actually fully understands anything about ovarian cancer or the op I had.

It feels like being in permanent labour with the cramping pain of wind.

I had a better night and woke up every 2 hrs as opposed to every half hour.

I think I just need to stop worrying about eating and being stronger and just take each day and see what it brings.

It's very sad and worrying that there is so little information and guidance out there for ovarian cancer. Pre and post op.

Again, I can't thank you enough for all your support.

Barbara , I didn't have an epidural that sounds like a whole different experience something so many of you have also gone through

Sarah xx

Choski profile image
Choski in reply to

It is a MAJOR abdominal surgery and one that I don't think is taken seriously enough because it just applies to women!

I couldn't sleep for the first few nights home, it was awful however it very gradually got better. Ring your doctor, ask for advice and a home visit, please don't worry about being a 'trouble' .

I had an epidural and intra abdominal pain killers and it was still incredibly painful at home!

Take care , deep breath and pick up that phone xx

Clare

Steghart profile image
Steghart

I had my 4th op for recurrence in December, removal of sigmoid colon, tumours in various other places, scar top to bottom. I also lost tons of weight, in huge pain, all I can say is don't worry about the weight loss, it all went back on! I nibbled on anything I fancied, I took (and still do) probiotics called Beneffect, drank fresh mint tea (get a friend to buy you a pot) with honey or fennel tea very good, sickness is entirely controllable, demand medication, if it doesn't work demand a different one, there are loads!! Don't take morphine or anything related, I did out of desperation and was in agony! Walk as much as you are able without getting too tired it helps with gas, charcoal tablets also helped me and drawing my knees to my chest one at a time lying on my back in bed, oh and a wheat bag or hotwater bottle was soothing for pain. It will pass I promise but it does take time and if you are very tired everything seems so much worse so get some sleeping tablets if you haven't slept for a while, now is not the time to be stoical!! Be kind to yourself,mi still have digestive problems but chemo didn't help with that, I found nutribullet very helpful after a few months. Oh I also went on a very low dose anti depressant on Oncologists advise as I struggled so much when first diagnosed 4 years ago, has really helped me through all this, I have managed to keep working this time which I could not have done 4 years ago. Hope this helps and remember you are not alone.

Claire x

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